Germany to Permanently Deploy Troops to Lithuania
Germany announced on Monday the permanent deployment of a German brigade of 4,800 soldiers to Lithuania. This figure was reached in an agreement in Vilnius between German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Lithuanian Defence Minister Arvydas. Significantly it marks the first permanent deployment of German troops in over 80 years.
The agreement underpins a collective desire to bolster NATO’s eastern flank, initiated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Pistorius said: “the eastern flank has now moved to the east, and it’s the duty of Germany to protect it.”
The German troops are expected to arrive in 2025-2026, being ready for action in 2027. Furthermore, housing, German-language schools, kindergartens and other facilities will be constructed to support them and their families. Lithuania will contribute 0.3% of her GDP to establish these facilities, alongside likely tax increases. The cost is seen as bearable as the former Soviet state sees this effort as key to guaranteeing her sovereignty.
Laurynas Kasciunas, Lithuanian head of parliamentary National Security and Defence Committee, said: “All political parties, left to right, agree that this is a priority. We will find the resources needed”
Already Lithuania is accommodating 1,000 multi-national NATO troops led by Germany based in the town of Rukla. These troops will be integrated into the permanent German brigade, basing itself there and the city of Rūdninkai closer to Vilnius. Notably these operational bases are near the strategic Suwałki Gap. A narrow connection between Lithuania and Poland, which is seen to be Russia’s most likely target, using Kaliningrad and Belarus to isolate the Baltic states by land.
This fact is not overlooked by Germany though, with the armoured unit of Panzerbatallion 203 from Augustdorf in North Rhine-Westphalia to be deployed as a part of Germany’s presence in Lithuania. The unit handed its tanks off to Ukraine and is awaiting new replacements though. This may possibly mean either the unit is deployed without her main combat system or an accelerated effort is made towards acquiring the Leopards.